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HID & LED Headlights

201K views 273 replies 85 participants last post by  crichgas 
#1 ·
Is it possible to get the OEM LED's from GM and have them installed on a lower trim level such as the Luxury? I really like the look of the LED strips in the lower fascia, however I do not need the Performance or Premium trim that they come standard on?

Also, is there and issues with the connectors for the Luxury headlights to switch to HID?
 
#143 ·
Great site! I went through this whole thread and I just wanted to make sure I got it. There is no way to add the LED strip up the head light area, and fog lights at this point? My dealer says nothing with them yet. I got the Lux addition as the options made more sense. However, like someone mentioned here, I was actually suprised when I saw that it did not have the LED strip going up the long vertical headlight area etc. I could care less about the other HID stuff, but I really want the strips.
 
#145 ·
Just installed the original LED headlights on my standard ats... and It works.... somewhat... haha. Got new connectors to rewire the headlights and LED's to work, then also added a capacitor in hopes of solving the flickering problem with it. Right now it seems to work, headlights, LED's and all, as long as i turn the lights on before I start the engine.... Not really what I wanted and I'm still looking for a solution, but wanted to share and also see if anyone else had any ideas?

Heard sometimes the dealer can re-flash the computer to solve these sorts of problems but i'm not sure on that. But just thought i'd share since no one else seems to have done it yet.
 
#152 ·
Still was having problems with them shutting off.... so i got it fully working now. more of a hack i guess though, i had aftermarket bulbs and ballasts because i already did the hid conversion. so i just replaced the factory bulbs and ballasts with those, had to do some improvising, but everything even fits inside the headlight. so now it works just like if you did the hid conversion on the standard headlights, so headlights stay on in the day, but leds and all work with it now. Felt like the lights were a big part of the car's look and didnt like that they were missing, so im finally happy now. haha
 
#156 ·
Well not the way I wired it. I tapped into the headlights for now, so when they're on, the led's are on. And the headlights will be on in the day of course because they worked originally as drl. You could find an accessory wire and wire that directly to the led's, then they'd just come on when the car comes on, and you could turn off the headlights. But i like being able to turn them all off.
 
#160 ·
View attachment 124489
View attachment 124497

I installed my own LED strips on the inside edge of the headlights and it came out great, pretty simple too!
this looks cool in the pictures but i KNOW how its gonna look in person....u stuck it on the outside of the headlight i assume, and its one of those chinese LED strips that are just spaced out individual small LEDs to mimic the thing audi did in the beginning. it looks very ricer when ppl try to use them most of the time. urs might not, im just saying, most of the time it looks seriously bad....
 
#161 ·
It is an LED strip but it's side emitting, super bright, and incredibly thin. Because it's side emitting I was able to hide it in the seam between the headlight and the hood/bumper. I'm really particular when it comes to sloppiness so I took my time and did it right rather than just sticking them on. I was originally pretty bummed that my ATS didn't have them stock but now I think they look pretty sharp on the inside rather than the stock outside look.
 
#165 ·
Personal luxury car Vehicle Car Automotive exterior Luxury vehicle

Automotive exterior Vehicle Auto part Car Hood


Here are some closeups with them off as requested... I'm in PA so sorry, no installs. Because they are side emitting and so thin they fit nicely on the side of the headlamp rather than on top. I can't see them at all while driving, nor can I see the rest of the headlamp, so there is no issue there. Thanks for the props... I was thinking the same thing about running them down below to the fog lamp area too but there isn't a really good place to hide them and I don't want it to look like junk so I'll likely hold off until some better aftermarket options come available.
 
#170 ·
The link is below. You'll need 2 of these, one for each headlight. You should also grab a bunch of the connectors they offer for .40c. I went with the natural white but you can get them in other colors. You'll cut them to fit where indicated on the strip and seal the end with a drop of some clear weatherproof caulk. I actually wired mine together and ran the connecting wire through the foam weatherstrip above the engine, just below the windshield (it's hollow). I used butt connectors to wire them to my small parking lights on the bumper next to the wheel (the small orange ones). I accessed the wires by simply taking out 3 of the screws that hold the fabric in the wheel well and pulling it back, I didnt need to remove the fabric completely or take the wheel off, it was actually much easier than I expected. The led's don't come with tape on the back so you'll need to buy a roll of the good (thin) 3m double sided tape to attach to the side of the headlamp. It's tight between the headlamp and bumper so I didn't use tape there, just wedged it in so it was flush with the headlight. Hit me up with any questions, I'll be glad to help. It's actually a really easy install that pretty much anyone should be able to pull off...

http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/side-emitting/swfls-x60-series-60-side-emitting-led-waterproof-flexible-light-strip/102/
 
#171 · (Edited)
The link is below. You'll need 2 of these, one for each headlight. You should also grab a bunch of the connectors they offer for .40c. I went with the natural white but you can get them in other colors. You'll cut them to fit where indicated on the strip and seal the end with a drop of some clear weatherproof caulk. I actually wired mine together and ran the connecting wire through the foam weatherstrip above the engine, just below the windshield (it's hollow). I used butt connectors to wire them to my small parking lights on the bumper next to the wheel (the small orange ones). I accessed the wires by simply taking out 3 of the screws that hold the fabric in the wheel well and pulling it back, I didnt need to remove the fabric completely or take the wheel off, it was actually much easier than I expected. The led's don't come with tape on the back so you'll need to buy a roll of the good (thin) 3m double sided tape to attach to the side of the headlamp. It's tight between the headlamp and bumper so I didn't use tape there, just wedged it in so it was flush with the headlight. Hit me up with any questions, I'll be glad to help. It's actually a really easy install that pretty much anyone should be able to pull off...

http://www.superbrightleds.com/more...ting-led-waterproof-flexible-light-strip/102/
I think we have a winner for best ATS DIY mod of the year!

And Cadillac should kiss you because a lot of people who were angry when they found out after the sale that their ATS didn't have LEDs will be putting down their torches and pitchforks.
 
#181 ·
I've used them for 3 complete headlight HID projector retrofits into cars that didn't have projectors or HIDs originally. (01 monte carlo ss 02 deville dts 03 jetta 1.8t) I've not tried their LED lineup but if you head over to the forums at HIDPlanet.com you will find all sorts of info and help usually. I've found their prices to be fair and quality to be better than most.

Sent from my One
 
#186 ·
I think somebody posted about doing it. If I remember right they ended up with some pretty insignificant differences in how they operated. It's very expensive though because the units include the aiming mechanisms for the adaptive headlights which nobody knows a way to make work with a car that didn't come with them. It's not practical, but it could be cheaper to sell a Luxury without LEDs and buy a used Performance with the same power-train and color.
 
#194 ·
If anyone knows if you can retro fit the HID for the standard lights I would greatly appreciate it .. My body shop wants to order than but not sure if the wiring harness will work!! I call my Cadillac dealer and they didn't even know .. I would really appreciate the help..
 
#196 ·
It's a very simple DIY project. Probably under $100. You already have projector housings. You just replace the halogen bulb with HIDs. May be better than factory since you can choose the color temperature and power.

If you also want the factory LED accent lights, that's another story. I think the housings with those are around $1,000 per side and will require some custom wiring to get them working right.
 
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